BT broadband Cancellation fee

l3ggy

Hi all, can anyone hep or advise please.
We have been with BT for a few years now and last yr we decided to get their broardband. (unsure which month or what contract 12/18month but defo had it put in by feb 08)
This Jan we decided enough was enough £50+ for phone and internet was much too high so we switched. Last month we recieved a cheque from Bt as we were in credit on our final bill, so far so good.
Today though we have recieved a bill from them for £156.50 Charge for BB contract commitment! (why refund us only to charge us again?)

Now Ive had a quick look online for their t&c and have found'
Ending the service

1. When you end your broadband service outside your minimum period and do not request and use a migration access code (MAC) or another recognised transfer process to move to another service provider, you will have to pay a cease charge of £18.11 (from 2nd December 2008). You will not have to pay this charge in the event you are moving home and we are unable to provide the service at the new address.
2. Unless we have made a change to the prices or terms and conditions that is to your material disadvantage or paragraphs 10 and 11 of the BT Total Broadband service terms apply you must pay a charge for ending BT Total Broadband within the minimum period by way of compensation to us. This charge will be equal to the total of the monthly rental charges left in the minimum period. This charge will not be subject to VAT. If you end your broadband service within the minimum period, we may also charge you up to £44.04 for the home hub and £146.80 for the mobile phone(s) we have provided to you as part of the service.

now looking at these statements I cant figure out where they've got this charge total from? any Ideas? any help?

anyone know a way of reducing this charge?

Thanks for any help

macman

Sounds like you left before the end of your contract. What package were you on and what length? They will charge you what you would have been due to pay them up to the end of the contract.
Does the bill not break down how this charge is calculated?
I'm unclear if you have migrated just your broadband or bb and phone? And it also depends if you had a single contract for phone and broadband or a package of the two.
From the amount charged I'm guessing you were on an 18 month contract? What was your monthly broadband charge?

l3ggy

macman wrote: »

Sounds like you left before the end of your contract. What package were you on and what length? They will charge you what you would have been due to pay them up to the end of the contract.
Does the bill not break down how this charge is calculated?
I'm unclear if you have migrated just your broadband or bb and phone? And it also depends if you had a single contract for phone and broadband or a package of the two.
From the amount charged I'm guessing you were on an 18 month contract? What was your monthly broadband charge?

The bill we recieved states its a one-off charge, cancellation charge. the description reads;' charge for BB contract commitment.'
OH now states it was setup April 08 (not feb) and was 18month contract @£15.99 per month. broadband option 1.
we've had Bt for the phone for ages (2 or so yrs). when broadband was setup we recieved one bill for both phone and broadband.
We've already had our final bill (with credit) so surely they should have sorted this 'fee' out with that?
Asuming we had 7 months left @ 15.99 that equals £111.93 so what the rest for? if its for the hub would they not just let us sent it back?
thanks for any help

macman

Well, if you add the hub cost (£44.04 ) to the £111.93, that is £155.97, that's 53p more than they've charged you. You cancelled in January and haven't returned the hub 2 months later, although the T&C apear to say that they can charge you for the hub whether you return it or not. but I guess that if you don't, they're certain to charge you.
By my calculation, if you started the contract in April and terminated in January, you still have 9 months to run, not 7, so if anything they've undercharged you by about £31.

prowla

If you signed up to a minimum contract period and terminated before then, then if the contract you agreed to says so I guess it means the charge is valid.

syko29793

the "BB contract commitment" means you were in contract and have been charged the remaining monthly fee x by however many months left on your contract. it may be out by a few pence but your stuck with it im afraid.You may find a BT advisor who will waive if you come back to BT and take a new contract but it is advisor discretion. good luck.

macman

syko29793 wrote: »

the "BB contract commitment" means you were in contract and have been charged the remaining monthly fee x by however many months left on your contract. it may be out by a few pence but your stuck with it im afraid.You may find a BT advisor who will waive if you come back to BT and take a new contract but it is advisor discretion. good luck.

But if he comes back to BT, then he will have breached his contract with his current ISP, assuming he took out a 12 month contract in January!

BT_company_representative

Hi l3ggy,

I am sorry to hear that you have received and unexpected bill from BT. I will be more than happy to look into this for you and explain these charges. I have sent you a PM with my contact details. I look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers
Sean
BT Support

elyshia

I am moving abroad in the next 2-3 weeks I have bt phone and broadband, will I still be charged cancellation charges? If i was moving elsewhere in england I would stay with BT but this is out of my control as I can not have BT in Milan.

macman

elyshia wrote: »

I am moving abroad in the next 2-3 weeks I have bt phone and broadband, will I still be charged cancellation charges? If i was moving elsewhere in england I would stay with BT but this is out of my control as I can not have BT in Milan.

Yes you will be charged unless you are already OOC.

black_paw

you will have to pay